Alumni News

Director of Children, Youth and Family Ministry, Arlington, MA

By yaragj August 31st, 2017 in Archive

Church seeks part-time Director of Children, Youth & Family Ministry.
Position: Director of Children, Youth and Family Ministry (part-time)
Company: Christian Church with a vibrant and growing congregation of approximately 200 and a staff of 5.
Location:  Arlington, MA
Job Type: Permanent part-time
Schedule / Hours: 20 hours per week
Pay rate: $20/hr
Job Description:  Reports to Pastor.  Responsible for developing a vision, providing leadership for, and integrating programs related to Children, Youth or Families (CYF) for the church. Responsibilities include:

  • Lead the Children, Youth, & Family Ministry Team (CYF Team) in setting the vision, priorities and goals
    for CYF Ministry.
  • Implement the goals and priorities of the ministry as set by the CYF Team.
  • Recruit, organize, supervise and train all lay teachers and leaders; provide leadership for curriculum development.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact and communication for CYF Ministry.
  • Partner with the Pastor and Director of Music to provide opportunities for children and youth to be incorporated into worship.
  • Supervise two staff nursery attendants through weekly check-ins and annual performance reviews; monitor nursery activity, condition, and needs.
  • Advocate for an environment of inclusion by paying close attention to special needs and issues in classes and in worship and supporting families.
  • Implement the Safe Church Policy as set by Church Council.
  • Maintain classrooms and order all necessary supplies and curriculum.
  • Provide support and resources for families to assist in Christian faith formation at home.

Qualifications:

  • Graduate College
  • Associate in Ministry preferred
  • Excellent communication skills with the ability to communicate and interact respectfully and effectively with the Pastor and other Church staff, parents, children and youth, volunteers, members and guests.
  • Excellent organizational skills with the ability to oversee and prioritize multiple projects and activities.
  • Proven ability to supervise staff nursery attendants and all volunteers.
  • Basic computer and office equipment skills to include MS Office.
  • Ability to recruit and support volunteers and incorporate their feedback and efficiently.
  • Ability to initiate new projects and programs.
  • Ability to work independently.
To Apply: http://jobs.flexprofessionalsllc.com/JobSeeker/Director_of_Children_Youth__Family_Ministry_Parttime_J02514434.aspx

 

Torrey Joyner (STH'17) Remains Strong in Face of Rare Condition

By Kimberly Macdonald August 30th, 2017 in Archive

Dedham, MA - Torrey Joyner’s philosophy on life and challenges can be best expressed by the words on his favorite T-shirt — “Being Awesome Has Its Advantages.” Wherever this 28-year-old Dedham resident goes he makes a statement — one of positive energy. That energy shows in his smile, his laugh and his spirit. Even his eyes reflect that energy, as he listens to every word people have to say.

For now, it’s life using a wheelchair.

“Amazingly,” said his fiancé, Andrea Lopes. “He is the same person, same spirit, same Torrey.”

“And if you know Torrey, you know he is a huge magnetic spirit with nonstop energy to talk, laugh and listen to others. This has made it easier for me to view him the same, treat him the same and be in love with him in the same way as before, which is pretty remarkable.” 

Read the whole story, written by Linda Thomas and published on August 16, 2017, here.

A Message from Deans Moore, Stone and Lightsey Regarding Hurricane Harvey's Path

By Kimberly Macdonald August 30th, 2017 in Archive

Dear Beloved Community,

The horrors of Hurricane Harvey have gripped all of us as we see the huge destruction of human lives, homes, and health. We know, however, that we have students with close relatives and friends in Houston and Corpus Christi and all across southern Texas, as well as Louisiana, where Tropical Storm Harvey is now headed. We hear news report that change by the hour – at least 16 people dead; more than 13,500 people rescued with expectation of numbers rising at least to 30,000; 25-30% of Harris County (home of Houston) flooded; untold damage to homes that can only be assessed in weeks to come; and oil refineries and other plants compromised and releasing deadly chemicals. We hear and see the deadly destruction of people and land and waterways. This is a human and ecological disaster.

As compassionate people, you are reading these figures and seeing the pictures yourselves. But can you and I even imagine the horrors that people across Southeast Texas are facing as they look out at flood waters, await rescue, and wonder where their loved ones are? Can we imagine what the people of Louisiana are facing and fearing after the devastations of Hurricane Katrina in 2005? Can we imagine the concern that members of our own BU School of Theology community experience as they worry about their loved ones in Texas and Louisiana and as they check in on them and listen to their stories?

We can only glimpse the situation with our conscious and analytic minds. We need to pause, breathe deeply of Spirit, and let the images touch us. We need to pause, breathe deeply, and pray. We need to find a way to act – to support the rescuers and rescued, the displaced families and communities, the emergency teams, the neighbors helping neighbors, the churches and other places of worship that have opened their sacred spaces to house and treat and serve the people.

We cannot fully imagine the horrors, but we can glimpse and feel and act. May God bless your efforts, your feelings, and your actions, and may we all find pathways to respond in our unique ways. The people of Southeast Texas and Louisiana need to know that, even if we cannot fully imagine, we care!   

With prayers of deep concern and fragile hope,

Your Deans – Mary Elizabeth, Pamela, and Bryan

Minister of Christian Education in Acton, MA

By Jaclyn K Jones August 25th, 2017 in Archive

The West Acton Baptist Church in Acton, MA is seeking a part-time Minister of Christian Education who has a passion for ministry with children and youth. This person will work closely with the pastor to design and implement a program of Christian formation. Complete job description available at http://www.westactonbaptistchurch.org/files/124845592.pdf To apply, send a cover letter and resume to: wabcadmin@verizon.net.

Children's Minister, Cambridge, MA

By bbrawner August 23rd, 2017 in Archive

Faith Lutheran Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts is seeking a children’s minister. This part-time position will open in mid-September or earlier if available.
About Faith Lutheran Church
Faith is a small Lutheran congregation located near Central Square in Cambridge. Faith is an open community welcoming all who wish to worship with us and explore their relationship with God through Christ. The congregation’s members belong to a wide range of age groups with a significant presence of twenty- and thirty-somethings. The attendance is bolstered during the school year by local students, including graduate students. Although Faith is deeply rooted in the Lutheran heritage of music and thought, many who join and attend the church have backgrounds in other Christian denominations, or none at all, making for a diverse range of perspectives. Weekly worship begins at 10:00 a.m. throughout the year and typically concludes by 11:30 a.m. Approximately 30-40 people attend worship each week, and many of these stay for fellowship and coffee hour.
The church seeks to deepen and grow its ministry with parents and their children. Currently, Faith offers Sunday School during the school year (Sep-May) for school-aged children, typically ages 5-12, during the first part of the worship service. It is taught by two teachers each Sunday. Usually, one of them is the children’s minister, who takes on a leadership role. The program uses a contemporary curriculum tied to the readings used in worship. Sunday School typically concludes by 10:40, at which time the children are encouraged to join their families for the rest of worship. The church hopes that the children’s minister can build on the existing ministry while also fostering greater integration of the children as full participants in worship.
To learn more about Faith, please visit the church website at www.faithcambridge.org.
Primary duties
Work closely with the pastor to oversee Sunday School program for children ages 5 to 12 based on current or modified curriculum, conducted during a portion of weekly Sunday worship services; recruit, if necessary, teams of teachers from the congregation and coordinate teaching schedule; organize periodic teacher meetings to discuss curriculum for continuity; develop the curriculum and structure in ways to better grow the faith and empower the discipleship of the church’s children; facilitate the community between parents through gatherings and/or other common activities.
Qualifications
Qualified applicants for this position will have experience working with children of all ages, ability to mobilize adult volunteers within the church to participate in and assist in leading educational programming, and knowledge and familiarity with the Christian scriptures, as well as a commitment to the message and example of Jesus Christ.
Compensation and hours
The salaried position pays $6,400 per year, for an expected seven hours a week, half devoted to Sunday activities and half for planning and preparation. Included are three weeks paid vacation.
If you are interested in this position, please email your statement of interest and resume to pastor@faithcambridge.org or call 617-945-4395 for more information.
 

Cornell William Brooks to Join STH and LAW Faculty as Visiting Professor for 2017-2018 Academic Year

By Kimberly Macdonald August 21st, 2017 in Archive

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kimberly Macdonald
Marketing & Communications Manager, School of Theology
617-358-1858
kmacd@bu.edu
Ann Comer-Woods
Assistant Dean for Communications & Marketing, School of Law
617-353-3097
anncomer@bu.edu
BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY AND BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW WELCOME CORNELL WILLIAM BROOKS AS VISITING PROFESSOR FOR 2017-2018 ACADEMIC YEAR
Boston, MA – August 21, 2017 – Boston University School of Theology (STH) with Boston University School of Law (LAW) are pleased to announce that Reverend Cornell William Brooks, Esq. (STH’87, LAW Hon.’15), former President and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), will join both the STH and LAW faculties as a visiting professor of Social Ethics, Law, and Justice Movements for the 2017-2018 academic year.
This unique appointment will be co-hosted by STH and LAW. Brooks is expected to teach one course each semester that will be offered to students enrolled at either school, and will also be available for activities such as lectures and seminars, with a particular focus on theology and/or law. His fall semester 2017 course, titled “Violence, the Vote, and Hope: An Examination of Ethics, Law and Justice Movements”, will allow students to explore efforts to secure the right to vote and end racialized violence through advocacy in the streets, from the pulpit, and through the courts.
“In this moment of history when racism, persistent injustice, and violence are haunting our society and threatening the most vulnerable of our people, BU is fortunate to have Cornell William Brooks with us,” says Dean Mary Elizabeth Moore of the Boston University School of Theology. “Drawing upon his own study of theology and social ethics in the BU School of Theology and on his study and practice of law, he will bring his own questions and visions to our collective discussions of injustice and our efforts to build a human community in which human rights and dignity are assured for all people.”
Brooks earned a Bachelor of Arts with honors in political science from Jackson State University in 1983, and his Master of Divinity degree with a concentration in social ethics and systematic theology from Boston University School of Theology in 1987. As a Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholar while studying at Boston University, he was awarded both the Oxnam-Leibman Fellowship for outstanding scholarship and promoting racial harmony, and the Jefferson Fellowship for outstanding scholarship and excellence in preaching. In 1990, he earned his Juris Doctorate from Yale Law School, where he serviced as a Senior Editor of the Yale Law Journal and Member of the Yale Law and Policy Review.
“We are honored that Cornell Brooks will be joining us this year to teach a course that is highly relevant to our law students,” says Dean Maureen A. O’Rourke of the Boston University School of Law. “He brings a unique perspective to both the ethical and statutory interpretations of the law that should be both thought-provoking and instructive for our students.”
Prior to the NAACP, Brooks had previously served as Executive Director of the Fair Housing Council of Greater Washington, was a trial attorney with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, was the 1998 Democratic Nominee for the US House of Representatives for the 10th District of Virginia, was the Senior Counsel of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and served as the President and CEO of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice.
He has authored several published articles and essays, and delivered 11 keynote or commencement addresses at domestic and international universities since 2015, as well as hundreds of speeches. Rev. Brooks also serves as a regular Contributor for CNN, providing analysis and commentary on public affairs, civil rights and social ethics. His appearances include “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer”, “CNN Newsroom”, and “New Day.”
“Amidst this Twitter-age Civil Rights Movement, it is a humbling honor to return to Boston University as a visiting professor, an institution that has inspired the moral imagination of the nation and my own moral aspirations as an attorney and ordained minister,” says Rev. Brooks. “This is a both powerful and poignant moment to be at the School of Theology and the School of Law.”
###
Since 1839, Boston University School of Theology has been preparing leaders to do good. A seminary of the United Methodist Church, Boston University School of Theology is a robustly ecumenical institution that welcomes students from diverse faith traditions who are pursuing a wide range of vocations – parish ministry, conflict transformation, chaplaincy, campus ministry, administration, non-profit management, social work, teaching, justice advocacy, peacemaking, interfaith dialogue, and more. Our world-renowned faculty and strong heritage help students nurture their academic goals and realize any ministry imaginable. For more information, please visit bu.edu/sth.
Founded in 1872, Boston University School of Law is a top-tier law school with a faculty recognized nationally for exceptional teaching and preeminent scholarship. The School offers a full-time JD degree, five LLM degrees, and 17 dual degrees. Students can explore virtually any area of the law in more than 200 classes and seminars, 24 clinics and externships, and 21 study abroad programs. Since its founding in the 19th century, BU Law has admitted qualified students without regard to race, gender, religion, or national original. For more information, please visit bu.edu/law.
Cornell Brooks BU Press Release 8-20-17 FINAL

 
 
 

Associate University Minister and Director of Outreach and Mission, Nashville, TN

By Jaclyn K Jones August 18th, 2017 in Archive

Belmont University, Nashville, TN
Belmont University is seeking applications for the Associate Minister and Director Missions & Outreach. The purpose of this position is to provide local and international outreach involvement, leadership and training opportunities for Belmont students. The ideal candidate has 2-3 years professional experience in campus ministry. Experience leading and participating in local/urban outreach is strongly desired, as well as experience leading and participating in international missions and outreach.
For additional information about the position and requirements, and to complete the online application, candidates are directed to https://jobs.belmont.edu/postings/7751. An electronic version of your resume, cover letter, and response to Belmont's Mission, Vision, and Values statements must be attached in order to complete the online application process. Review of applications will begin September 11, 2017 and continue until the position is filled.
Belmont University is a comprehensive, coeducational university located in Nashville, Tennessee. Belmont is a student-centered Christian university focusing on academic excellence that seeks to attract an active, culturally and academically diverse faculty of the highest caliber skilled in the scholarship of teaching, discovery, application, and integration of faith. Belmont is among the fastest growing universities in the nation. Ranked No. 6 in the Regional Universities South category and named as a "Most Innovative" university by U.S. News & World Report, Belmont University consists of more than 7,700 students who come from every state and more than 25 countries. Committed to being a leader among teaching universities, Belmont brings together the best of liberal arts and professional education in a Christian community of learning and service. The University's purpose is to help students explore their passions and develop their talents to meet the world's needs. With more than 90 areas of undergraduate study, 19 master's programs and five doctoral degrees, there is no limit to the ways Belmont University can expand an individual's horizon.